FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  227 (31/08/00)

DATE FIX

I sometimes use Word's "Insert" facility to date a document when I compose it: this works well and saves me making a keyed entry after checking the date.  However, when I re-open the file later I find that the dates have changes from the date of creating the document to the date on which the file is opened.  I am sure there must be a way of fixing the date to that of creating the document but I have not yet discovered the secret.  Can you help?

D. J. Evans

This is an F!F!F! regular, however, since we haven't dealt with it for a while it's worth covering it once more. The trick is to 'unlock' the date field by clicking on it, at which point it will be highlighted in grey. Press Ctrl + shift + F9 and it turns to a black highlight, indicating that it is now normal text. To stop it happening in future make sure you uncheck the Automatically Update option on the Date and Time insert box.

AERIAL ANSWER

I was wondering if you could help with one of my thoughts regarding the Internet. Telephone lines used to transmit and receive only voice data. Television aerials can receive quite good picture and sound (better with cable digital), which, in technical terms, is a lot of data being transported against time, more than the ordinary telephone lines can manage. Apart from installing a sort of aerial transmitter and sorting out frequency problems, why can't we access the Internet through TV aerials? Surely it would be much faster and cheaper than those copper wires?
Amit Mehta, Peterborough

It is technically possible and indeed quite a lot of Internet data is already being distributed by via satellite TV transmission systems. The trouble, however, is the lack of a "return path", the means by which the end user tells the Internet what information to send. Current solutions involve ordinary telephone lines or satellite dishes that can transmit, as well as receive. The telephone method is simple but slow, however this isn't too much of a problem providing the user receives more data than they transmit, as is normally the case with straightforward surfing. A two-way satellite link solves the speed problem but it is clearly very expensive and currently only an economic option for commercial and corporate users. Satellite data links will undoubtedly get cheaper but it is likely that high-speed landline data links, like ADSL -- that uses existing telephone lines -- and optical fibre cable systems will provide sufficient bandwidth for data, video and audio.

SHORT AND SWEET

I've seen lots of information about how to make desktop shortcuts and add icons to the taskbar but never anything about how to get rid of them.  I created a lot when I first started with the computer but no longer use some programs as often.  If I just delete, will I still have the program on the start-up menu or will I lose it altogether?

Sue Nicholson, North Tyneside

A desktop shortcut is simply a signpost that that tells Windows where to look for a particular program or file; deleting the shortcut normally has no effect on whatever it is pointing to. In any case when you delete a shortcut or icon, by right clicking on it, Windows automatically sends it to the Recycle Bin, so if a problem does occur, it can be easily restored (unless of course you empty the bin, so always leave it for a day or two when deleting items).

MONITOR MALADIES

Can you explain the following message and offer a remedy? "Attention signal frequency is out of range, please change signal timing". The problem occurs when the computer hangs in Windows and I attempt to reboot, it also happens when I am working on a program in MSDOS and I attempt to print from the program. If I press return when in MSDOS the message disappears and returns to the print screen. In Windows, however, I cannot get rid of the message and have to physically switch off the computer. I then switch on again after a minute or so and am able to return to normal processing.

Brian Line

The monitor is having problems with your PC's video output settings, or the video adapter card and is generating the error message. This could be caused by a number of things; here are some of the more obvious ones. It may be something as simple as a faulty or incorrect driver; there may be an indication in Windows Device Manager (right click My computer, select Properties then Device Manager Tab). If you see a yellow exclamation mark next to Display Adapters try reinstalling the driver software that came with your monitor, or reinstall the video adapter and monitor from Add/Remove Hardware in Control Panel. If your monitor has any manual settings -- comparatively rare these days -- try restoring the defaults from the monitors own on screen menu display.

FILING DOWN TO SIZE

I recently bought a scanner, this causes huge amounts of memory to be used storing large bitmapped (*.bmp) files. How do commercial companies produce single CDs with lots of scanned images and text? I would need to take dozens of CDs to produce a similar product. What options do I have to reduce and confine text and images to a more economical area on a CD or file?
Albert Smith

The Windows Bitmap file format is the least economical way of storing images since it describes the value of every picture element or "pixel" in an image. The solution is to use a compression scheme that reduces the amount of data in an image file. The most common one is JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), with the file extension *.jpg, which can easily reduce file size by a factor of 10 or more without any noticeable change in picture quality. The utility software supplied with scanners often gives the option to change the file format, otherwise you will have to use a paint program, like PaintShop Pro or MGI PhotoSuite and use the SaveAs file command to change the file format.

TACKLE THIS!

I have been looking in vain for a screen saver featuring Rugby Union (I have the England Team mouse mat and a view of Twickenham as my wallpaper). I have checked out the RFU, BBC and various club sites to no avail, and have even "Asked Jeeves". Can you suggest any good screen saver sites - or rugby sites - where I might find what I am looking for?
Clare Singleton

Okay rugby fans, this one is definitely for you!

CLIP SUCCESS

Following my letter in F!F!F! on 20th July regarding the apparent non-availability of clip art with a Scottish flavour I received several replies from people looking for the same type of material. I'd like to pass on to other users the fact that a CD-ROM of British clip art is available from Richard Allen, Home Views, All-British Clip Art for the PC, 20 Ulverscroft Rd., Loughborough, Leics. LE11 3PU England. My thanks to F!F!F! for this contact.
Alex B. Dobie

Good to hear from a satisfied customer